Game of Thrones has brought around £110 million into the Northern Ireland economy, it is being claimed today.

The epic HBO series has generated huge amounts of money through spending on producing it as well as tourism spin-offs, but has also helped enhance the skills and experience of local people working in the industry.

Figures from Northern Ireland Screen show that more than £21 million has been generated every year for the last five years. They say the “value is much greater than just the economic impact (i.e. direct expenditure on goods and services in Northern Ireland) – although of course this is high”.

They say the total amount generated between 2010 and 2015, although the 2014/2015 figure of £2 million is an estimate, is £110.7 million.

In a briefing paper that accompanies the latest figures they add that Game of Thrones “has given Northern Ireland crews the chance to prove their mettle and there is no doubt that our skills base has provided evidence of its flexibility in adapting to the demands of a big-budget returning series”.

The paper adds: “Game of Thrones has so far proved to be unrivalled in its impact on skills development. A single season can be sufficient for a talented individual to advance one step up the career ladder with many of the trainees from Season One employed on subsequent seasons on full-time contracts. Returning projects allow for this career advancement in a way that individual film or television projects do not.”

The sixth series of the fantasy drama is currently being filmed in Northern Ireland at locations including Garron Point on the Antrim coast, Ballintoy Harbour and at the Paint Hall Studios in Belfast’s Titanic Studios.

In their report, NI Screen concludes by comparing the media exposure driven by Game of Thrones to that of the Troubles.

They add: “It is no secret that we hope Game of Thrones will do for Northern Ireland what Peter Jackson’s epic Lord of the Rings did for New Zealand and what Wallander and The Millennium Trilogy still does for Sweden.

“With a much longer shelf life than the majority of films and an expanding worldwide reach and penetration, Game of Thrones has real potential as a driver of tourism.

“It is possible that the series will deliver the widest media exposure Northern Ireland has ever received outside of politics and the troubles.”